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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 120 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 · band · mug · bowl · dip · content · perch · calf

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pound — a weight
  4. content — happy
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. content — the amount
  7. mug — a cup
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mug — a face
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. perch — for a bird

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