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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. shower — to wash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. current — happening now
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. current — of water
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ball — a dance
  22. current — electric
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. fork — a garden tool

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