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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 124 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: prune · fork · pit · perch · pound · mouse · mark · kick

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mark — a grade
  10. perch — the fish
  11. prune — to trim
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mark — a trace
  23. kick — in football
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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