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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. dip — to sink
  4. shower — rain
  5. object — an aim
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. object — a thing
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — to protest
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. tube — a container
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — in music

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