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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: ground · racket · mate · bank · prune · pound · rule · object

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — the earth
  4. object — a thing
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. prune — to trim
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — government
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bank — for money
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. object — an aim
  19. ground — a position
  20. mate — a friend
  21. object — to protest
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ground — crushed

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