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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. track — to keep track
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. chip — for betting
  12. track — a path
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rush — hurry
  17. track — a song
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — to eat
  20. prune — to trim
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — a skill

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