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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · pitcher · trunk · pound · ground · wave

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. content — the amount
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ground — crushed
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ground — a position
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. content — happy
  18. wave — with your hand

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