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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. swing — in golf
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. swing — music
  16. dip — to sink
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bass — low music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wave — with your hand

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