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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 116 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
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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: bark · bore · lean · can · pit · mate · pound · bass

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bass — low music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lean — thin
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pit — a hole
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — the fish

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