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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · stick · pit · game · ball · land · pass · pound

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. land — to come down
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ball — a great time
  14. land — a country
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — in a race
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pit — a hole

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com