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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bank — of a river
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. craft — boats
  10. toast — bread
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. club — a group
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a skill
  24. club — for golf

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