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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bank — of a river
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. track — a path
  15. plane — a tool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bank — for money
  18. scale — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. prune — to trim
  24. track — a song

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