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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 116 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: pop · wind · spell · ball · pound · squash · can · prune

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. spell — magic
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pop — soda
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. can — a tin
  7. squash — the sport
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — letters
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pop — to visit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. spell — a short time
  24. prune — to trim

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