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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 120 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: bass · club · bark · tube · pound · mine · staff · rock

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. club — a group
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. tube — a container
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rock — music
  12. staff — employees
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bass — low music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bark — to shout

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