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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: swing · pound · racket · ground · prune · wave · rock · craft

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. swing — in golf
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rock — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. craft — boats
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wave — with your hand

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