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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: bat · stand · temple · mouse · fork · pound · can · pass

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fork — in a road
  15. can — a tin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stand — to bear

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