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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. drill — the tool
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — a weight
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bore — to drill
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bank — for money
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. drill — army training
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — for money

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