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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: pound · chip · prune · lash · mouse · ruler · pop · present

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pop — music
  4. present — the time now
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — to visit
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — a gift
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — there
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pop — soda

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