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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 116 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: object · wave · dip · pound · deal · prune · stick · mug

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. prune — to trim
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. deal — to handle
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pound — a weight
  22. object — an aim
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. object — to protest

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