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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: leaves · pop · row · pound · date · snap · bank · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pop — music
  3. bank — of a river
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. snap — to click
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pound — a weight
  8. row — a line
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bank — for money
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pop — soda
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pop — to visit
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. date — the fruit

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