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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: fork · pound · lash · dip · pop · ball · mate · press

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mate — to breed
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pop — music
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pop — to visit
  18. press — to push
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pound — a weight
  21. press — newspapers
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pop — soda

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