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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: mouse · stock · mark · prune · rush · tube · arm · pound

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mark — a grade
  11. tube — the underground
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. stock — shares
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stock — goods
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pound — a weight

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