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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mug — a cup
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — a face
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bank — for money
  10. field — for sport
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mug — to rob
  15. field — farmland
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. field — a subject
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bank — of a river

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