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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bank — for money
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pop — soda
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pound — a weight
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pop — music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. court — for sport

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