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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pound — a weight
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. degree — an amount
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. degree — from a university
  15. current — happening now
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — to trim
  20. current — electric
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. current — of water
  24. board — a committee

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