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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 equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. 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. pound — a weight
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mug — to rob
  4. sharp — clever
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cap — of ice
  8. degree — an amount
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — a hat
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — in cards
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mug — a face
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. degree — temperature
  23. mug — a cup
  24. 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