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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — the most important part
  7. field — a subject
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pound — a weight
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. key — in music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. sharp — clever
  22. field — farmland
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. field — for sport

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