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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rock — music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hand — in cards
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. hand — help
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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