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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: toast · stem · kid · pop · pound · bowl · arm · hide

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pop — soda
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pop — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stem — to come from
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — child
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pound — a weight
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. kid — to tease
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. toast — bread
  24. arm — part of the body

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