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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: pop · dip · key · saw · drill · pound · calf · bass

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pop — to visit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pop — soda
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bass — low music
  10. key — in music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. key — the most important part
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bass — the fish
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pop — music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. key — for a lock

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