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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
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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 · pound · mug · cabinet · bat · last · current · rest

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. current — of water
  4. last — to go on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bat — the animal
  9. last — finally
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rest — a break
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. prune — to trim
  19. current — electric
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mug — a face
  22. current — happening now
  23. last — final
  24. pound — for dogs

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