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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. suit — to fit
  4. swing — in golf
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. suit — in cards
  9. club — a group
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. club — for golf
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. toast — bread
  19. suit — clothes
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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