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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · stock · arm · bat · prune · fork

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bat — the animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fork — in a road
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. stock — shares
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stock — goods
  18. prune — the fruit

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