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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rock — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hand — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. hand — help
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. craft — boats
  22. wound — an injury
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hand — part of the body

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