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

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rock — music
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pop — soda
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — rain
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. tube — a container
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. chip — to eat
  24. tube — the underground

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