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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · tube · mark · trunk · ball · pop · bowl · pound

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tube — a container
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pop — soda
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. ball — a great time

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