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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: dip · scale · pop · ground · rest · date · bowl · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pop — to visit
  4. scale — in music
  5. can — a tin
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. date — the fruit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pop — soda
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ground — a position
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pop — music
  24. date — on the calendar

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