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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: ruler · pound · hide · bark · pitch · stick · pop · charge

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. charge — a price
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bark — to shout
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. charge — in control
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pound — a weight
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pop — music
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitch — completely

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