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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. key — in music
  9. can — a tin
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pop — music
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. key — the most important part
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fine — all right
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. fine — high quality
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bark — to shout

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