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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · prune · spell · craft · mate · pit · mug · rush

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. spell — magic
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. spell — letters
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rush — hurry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mug — to rob
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mug — a face
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pit — in a race
  23. spell — a short time
  24. craft — a handicraft

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