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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. prune — to trim
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. suit — in cards
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. tube — a container
  12. prune — to trim
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pit — in a race
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tube — the underground
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bass — the fish

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