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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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Word bank
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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: mug · rest · prune · dip · roll · race · pound · fan

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. roll — a list
  3. rest — a break
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mug — a cup
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — a contest
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — a weight
  16. prune — to trim
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mug — a face
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pound — to hit hard

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