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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · spell · mug · pit · bark · kick · mouse · pass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mug — a cup
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. spell — letters
  11. net — in sport
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. spell — magic
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. mouse — the animal

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