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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: pound · squash · stick · rest · bulb · mine · mate · ball

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mate — a friend
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. squash — the sport

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