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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: spell · pound · pit · toast · mug · ball · hide · band

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mug — to rob
  5. band — a ring
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pound — a weight
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. band — a music group
  14. spell — a short time
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. spell — letters
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — magic

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