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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: rush · tube · pound · mark · pop · bay · season · cabinet

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. tube — the underground
  3. season — of the year
  4. tube — a container
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pop — soda
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pop — to visit
  20. season — in sport
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pop — music
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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