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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. race — humankind
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pound — a weight
  6. race — a contest
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. prune — to trim
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bank — for money
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. present — a gift
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bank — for money
  24. race — the arms race

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