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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: dip · pound · bore · straw · bay · pitcher · vault · bass

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — the fish
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bore — to tire
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bass — low music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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