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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: pound · wake · court · stick · mug · pass · fork · mark

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. court — for sport
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. court — of a king
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mug — a face
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — of law
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mark — to pay attention

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