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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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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: pound · pop · prune · stick · net · wave · key · vault

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — soda
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. net — for catching
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pop — music
  17. net — after costs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. net — in sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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