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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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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: bark · clip · spring · toast · stick · plane · board · prune

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. clip — for paper
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. plane — a tool
  5. board — a committee
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. clip — a video
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — a coil
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spring — the season
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. board — to get on
  15. bark — to shout
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. clip — to cut
  19. prune — to trim
  20. spring — of water
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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