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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — in a road
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. object — to protest
  9. bank — for money
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bank — of a river
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. object — a thing
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. object — an aim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. scale — for weighing

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