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

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. present — there
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — the time now
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fork — in a road
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. present — a gift
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. vault — a safe

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