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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: fine · wound · pound · branch · ruler · prune · pit · deal

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fine — high quality
  14. deal — to handle
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fine — all right
  17. branch — a division
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pound — a weight
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. fine — a penalty

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