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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fall · pit · pop · roll · pound · rush · arm · bulb

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. roll — a cake
  19. fall — the season
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pop — music
  24. pound — a weight

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