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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: cap · pound · key · lash · ball · prune · shower · mark

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pound — a weight
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. key — in music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. shower — rain
  10. key — for a lock
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ball — a dance
  18. shower — to wash
  19. key — the most important part
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cap — a lid
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. cap — a hat
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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