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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: dip · pit · pound · bowl · chair · craft · object · cue

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pit — a hole
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pit — in a race
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — a leader
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. craft — boats
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — a thing

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