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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kick — in football
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cap — a hat
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mug — a face
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rock — music
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. prune — the fruit

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