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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: rock · prune · mark · bear · race · object · ball · face

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. bear — the animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rock — music
  5. face — to confront
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. race — a contest
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. object — an aim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. race — humankind
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mark — a trace
  20. race — the arms race
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. object — a thing
  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