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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: perch · ground · staff · mug · pound · bark · dip · bulb

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mug — a face
  10. bark — to shout
  11. staff — employees
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — a stick
  19. ground — a position
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a cup
  23. staff — employees
  24. mug — to rob

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