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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 · bank · shower · content · ruler · pop · pound · coach

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. shower — rain
  8. toast — bread
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bank — for money
  11. pop — music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pop — soda
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pound — a weight
  17. content — happy
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — the amount
  21. shower — to wash
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pound — to hit hard

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