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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
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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: jam · bark · saw · rash · prune · field · stick · press

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. field — a subject
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. saw — the tool
  13. field — for sport
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. rash — hasty
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rash — a series
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. press — to push

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