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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 120 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. tube — a container
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bank — for money
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a grade
  24. wind — moving air

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