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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: sharp · mouse · game · trunk · cap · prune · firm · pound

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. cap — of ice
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cap — a hat
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. sharp — clever
  11. game — wild animals
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. game — a match
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cap — a lid
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — a company
  22. pound — a weight
  23. firm — decided
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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