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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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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 · racket · pit · present · mine · wave · pass · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pit — a hole
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. present — the time now
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. present — there
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. present — a gift
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pass — to spend time

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