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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 120 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 · mug · rash · pitch · pound · chair · fork · bulb

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rash — a series
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mug — a face
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. chair — to sit on

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