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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — for betting
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pound — a weight

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