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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. row — a line
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pound — a weight
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. row — to paddle
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. row — a quarrel

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