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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: dip · lie · pound · prune · firm · bowl · pit · band

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. firm — a company
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. prune — to trim
  12. band — a ring
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pit — a hole
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pit — in a race
  23. band — a music group
  24. pound — to hit hard

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