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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rest — a break
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wound — an injury
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wound — an injury
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. prune — to trim
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cabinet — ministers

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