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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: cap · dip · ball · pitcher · perch · can · pound · wind

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. cap — a lid
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. dip — to sink
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cap — of ice
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  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