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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — an aim
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. key — for a lock
  12. prune — to trim
  13. game — a match
  14. prune — to trim
  15. object — a thing
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lean — to bend
  18. object — to protest
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lean — thin
  21. game — wild animals
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — music
  24. lean — to rest against

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