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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — the earth
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ground — a position
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fork — in a road
  24. ball — a dance

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