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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mug — to rob
  7. board — a committee
  8. rest — a break
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. board — to get on
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ground — the earth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — what's left
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ground — a position
  24. mug — a face

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