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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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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: ground · prune · firm · pound · court · craft · arm · suit

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. court — for sport
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. ground — a position
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. suit — in cards
  10. prune — to trim
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. craft — boats
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — crushed
  17. court — of a king
  18. suit — clothes
  19. prune — to trim
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. court — of law
  23. ground — the earth
  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