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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: mark · key · lean · bear · perch · pound · squash · pop

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. key — in music
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — thin
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pop — soda
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pound — a weight

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