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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: cabinet · content · pound · dip · hide · prune · mark · pop

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — to sink
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pop — soda
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. content — the amount
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pop — music
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. content — happy
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mark — a grade
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — to trim

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