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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 · arm · face · pass · prune · wave · pound · calf

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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. wave — a sudden rise
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pound — a weight
  6. face — to confront
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. club — a group
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. face — to point toward
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. club — for golf

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