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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · rest · object · sharp · march · cabinet · prune · pound

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. march — the month
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. prune — to trim
  10. march — the month
  11. current — electric
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — a break
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. sharp — clever
  21. march — music
  22. object — to protest
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — for dogs

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