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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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. pound — to hit hard
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. toast — bread
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — for money
  10. ground — a position
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bank — for money
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. ground — crushed
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. ground — the earth
  21. perch — the fish
  22. deal — to handle
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bowl — to roll

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