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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. capital — money
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. club — a group
  7. can — a tin
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pop — music
  12. capital — a city
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pop — to visit
  17. club — for golf
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. club — for dancing
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pop — soda
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. can — to be able to

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