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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 120 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: ball · ruler · mug · pound · bark · dip · stem · chest

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. chest — a box
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — a weight
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mug — a cup
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chest — of your body
  19. stem — to come from
  20. chest — of your body
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mug — a face
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. ball — a dance

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