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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.

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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: prune · pop · foot · arm · mug · fine · deal · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pop — soda
  4. mug — to rob
  5. current — happening now
  6. foot — a measure
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pop — to visit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mug — a face
  16. current — of water
  17. fine — all right
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pop — music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a cup
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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