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

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. present — the time now
  7. track — a song
  8. pound — a weight
  9. present — a gift
  10. club — for dancing
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. track — a path
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. present — there
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — to keep track
  21. club — for golf
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bowl — a football final

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