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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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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: tube · ground · pop · perch · craft · pound · bowl · deal

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. craft — boats
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ground — crushed
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. tube — a container
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. craft — a skill
  18. perch — the fish
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pop — soda
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pop — music
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. ground — a position

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