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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: pound · dip · rock · bat · deal · straw · fine · season

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rock — a stone
  3. dip — to sink
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — to handle
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bat — the animal
  13. season — of the year
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. season — in sport
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. fine — high quality
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rock — music
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fine — a penalty

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