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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. object — to protest
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — hurry
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pound — to hit hard

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