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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. prune — to trim
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. band — a ring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to succeed

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