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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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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: stick · bark · wave · clip · foot · pass · cue · pound

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. clip — a video
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cue — a signal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. clip — to cut
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bark — to shout
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cue — a hint

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