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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: coach · dip · pound · bay · deal · rule · bowl · tube

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. tube — a container
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. rule — a law
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pound — a weight
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. deal — to handle
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rule — government
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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