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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. board — a committee
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — to fit
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. suit — in cards
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bank — for money
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. present — there
  16. kick — in football
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wound — an injury
  22. board — to get on
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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