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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.

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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: file · pop · pound · perch · band · rush · bark · sharp

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — music
  7. sharp — clever
  8. band — a ring
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pop — to visit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. file — a document
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. band — a music group
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rush — hurry
  21. file — a tool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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