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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · dip · stem · prune · fine · key · bark · march

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. ball — a dance
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fine — all right
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bark — to shout
  16. march — the month
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ball — a great time
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stem — to come from

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