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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: rash · perch · mug · object · pound · rush · hide · pop

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pop — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pop — soda
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rash — a series
  16. rush — hurry
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — a thing
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. object — an aim
  24. perch — the fish

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