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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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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: pound · leaves · net · bark · current · field · lie · safe

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. field — for sport
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. current — electric
  5. field — a subject
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. field — farmland
  13. net — for catching
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. current — of water
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. current — happening now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  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