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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — of a river
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. march — the month
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. face — part of the head
  8. march — the month
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. ball — a great time
  15. march — music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — a grade

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