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

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. band — a ring
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. band — a music group
  5. pop — to visit
  6. root — the cause
  7. squash — the sport
  8. vault — a safe
  9. dip — to sink
  10. drill — army training
  11. root — of a word
  12. squash — to crush
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — the tool
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pop — soda
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pop — music
  24. pound — a weight

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