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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. court — for sport
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. prune — to trim
  7. court — of a king
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. court — of law
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. scale — in music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — to confront
  23. bank — of a river
  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