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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 120 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: temple · mark · season · pound · board · safe · pop · ground

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. board — to get on
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. board — a committee
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pop — music
  13. season — in sport
  14. pop — soda
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — a position
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. season — of the year
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ground — the earth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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