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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 116 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: key · bark · game · wave · pound · rash · rush · pit

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. pit — in a race
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rash — a series
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. key — in music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pound — a weight
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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