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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pound — a weight
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wax — to grow
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bass — low music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bass — the fish
  13. suit — clothes
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pound — for dogs

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