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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: dip · staff · bass · season · rush · ball · wake · pound

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. season — of the year
  11. staff — employees
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bass — low music
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. season — in sport
  16. dip — to sink
  17. staff — employees
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ball — a dance
  21. staff — a stick
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ball — a great time

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