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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: bowl · mug · can · dip · pound · sharp · chest · board

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pound — a weight
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mug — to rob
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. can — to be able to
  11. chest — a box
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. sharp — clever
  22. dip — to sink
  23. chest — of your body
  24. can — a tin

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