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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: pound · cell · dip · kick · suit · racket · mouse · pop

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — soda
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pound — a weight
  10. kick — in football
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cell — in biology
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. dip — to sink
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pound — to hit hard

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