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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: pound · snap · bank · bark · dip · ground · can · mark

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. can — a tin
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. can — to be able to
  11. snap — to click
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ground — a position
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ground — crushed
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mark — a trace

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