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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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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. current — of water
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bound — certain
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. prune — to trim
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wind — moving air
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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