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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — to shout
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bank — of a river
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a line
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bank — for money
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fork — a garden tool

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