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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. drill — army training
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pop — soda
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pop — music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. drill — the tool

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