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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: pass · cabinet · mouse · saw · bark · tube · ball · club

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. club — for dancing
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. club — a group
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. tube — a container
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bark — to shout
  16. ball — a dance
  17. club — for golf
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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