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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: drill · pop · fan · rush · game · rest · coach · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pop — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. game — wild animals
  6. drill — army training
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. drill — the tool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pop — soda
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. game — a match
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. game — a kind of play

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