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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: fork · prune · pop · present · pound · bear · chip · key

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. key — for a lock
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pop — soda
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — a weight
  8. key — in music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. present — the time now
  11. prune — to trim
  12. present — a gift
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. present — there
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bear — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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