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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. field — for sport
  6. pass — a permit
  7. hand — help
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cap — a lid
  16. hand — in cards
  17. field — a subject
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. field — farmland
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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