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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: deal · race · band · coach · firm · pound · bulb · prune

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. firm — decided
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. prune — to trim
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. race — the arms race
  12. band — a ring
  13. race — humankind
  14. deal — to handle
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. band — a music group
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. firm — steady
  21. prune — to trim
  22. race — a contest
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. coach — a trainer

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