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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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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: pass · dip · last · pop · bore · content · racket · pound

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. last — finally
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. content — the amount
  7. bore — to tire
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. dip — to sink
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pop — music
  14. content — happy
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. last — final
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. last — to go on

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