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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bass — the fish
  5. prune — to trim
  6. deal — to handle
  7. current — happening now
  8. bass — low music
  9. game — wild animals
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pound — a weight
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. current — electric
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — of water
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. game — a kind of play

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