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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bound — tied together
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cell — a phone
  11. plane — a tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bound — certain
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bound — obliged
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. plane — an aircraft

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