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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: pass · mark · pound · racket · rule · pop · pit · sharp

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pass — a permit
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — music
  8. rule — a law
  9. pop — soda
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rule — government
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mark — a grade
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pass — to spend time

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