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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ground — a position
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bore — to tire
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ground — the earth
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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