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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: club · pass · bear · leaves · prune · pound · hide · face

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. club — for dancing
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. club — for golf
  9. bear — the animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pound — a weight
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. club — a group
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hide — to keep secret

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