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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pound — a weight
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — to recline
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hand — help
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hand — in cards
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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