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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — a practice
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. band — a music group
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. drill — the tool
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mark — a trace
  16. band — a ring
  17. bank — for money
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. drill — army training
  24. hide — to keep secret

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