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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · track · staff · pound · pop · safe · prune · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. staff — employees
  3. pop — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. prune — to trim
  6. staff — employees
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — a weight
  11. track — a song
  12. rash — a series
  13. track — a path
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rash — hasty
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pop — soda
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pop — to visit
  23. staff — a stick
  24. prune — to trim

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