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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ground — crushed
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. club — for golf
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ground — a position
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. club — a group
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stock — goods
  17. pop — soda
  18. stock — shares
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pop — music
  24. dip — a sauce

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