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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: bear · hide · bark · current · pass · kick · staff · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. current — electric
  3. pass — a permit
  4. staff — employees
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. current — happening now
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. current — of water
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. staff — employees
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. kick — in football
  22. staff — a stick
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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