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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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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 · mark · perch · nail · suit · content · pop · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pop — music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. content — happy
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — clothes
  13. spell — a short time
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pop — soda
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mark — a grade
  21. content — the amount
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pound — a weight

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