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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · snap · pound · cabinet · arm · prune

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. current — happening now
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. snap — to click
  7. current — of water
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — electric

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