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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bulb — for light
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. court — of law
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — a break
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pop — soda
  11. rest — what's left
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pop — to visit
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — for sport
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. court — of a king
  22. pop — music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bulb — for light

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