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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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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: mouse · pound · wake · court · jam · bowl · pop · mate

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pop — to visit
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pop — music
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. court — of a king
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. court — for sport
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. court — of law
  24. pound — for dogs

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