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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.

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: firm · game · drill · bark · current · pound · staff · bay

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. game — a match
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. firm — decided
  6. current — of water
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. staff — employees
  15. current — happening now
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pound — a weight
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. current — electric
  22. staff — a stick
  23. firm — a company
  24. staff — employees

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