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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: pass · bark · foot · hide · racket · mine · wave · pit

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mine — for digging
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bark — to shout
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pit — in a race

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