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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: prune · foot · arm · lie · ball · stock · pound · dip

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — goods
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. stock — shares
  8. pound — a weight
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lie — to recline
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ball — a great time
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ball — a dance
  23. foot — part of the body
  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