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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 120 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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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 · pit · face · cue · scale · tube · wave · bark

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — for pool
  4. scale — size or range
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. tube — a container
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. face — to confront
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. scale — in music
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pit — a hole

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