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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cue — a hint
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pound — a weight
  6. object — an aim
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pop — soda
  9. mug — a cup
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cue — for pool
  13. game — a match
  14. object — a thing
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. game — wild animals
  20. object — to protest
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mug — a face
  23. pop — music
  24. game — a kind of play

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