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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pound — a weight
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bank — for money
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. degree — an amount
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bass — low music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bass — the fish

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