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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · squash · rest · dip · roll · drill · rock · ground

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. drill — army training
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pound — a weight
  5. ground — a position
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. ground — the earth
  10. drill — the tool
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rest — what's left
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rest — a break
  17. roll — a list
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rest — what's left
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. roll — a cake
  24. ground — crushed

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