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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pound — a weight
  3. root — of a word
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. prune — to trim
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. net — after costs
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. bank — of a river
  14. net — in sport
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. net — for catching
  17. current — of water
  18. file — a tool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. prune — to trim
  21. root — the cause
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — on a finger

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