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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: shower · jam · dip · key · game · pop · prune · rock

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pop — soda
  8. prune — to trim
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. shower — rain
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. key — for a lock
  13. game — a match
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pop — to visit
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pop — music
  23. shower — to wash
  24. dip — a sauce

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