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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: safe · prune · foot · pop · ball · swing · stand · bark

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stand — to bear
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pop — to visit
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bark — to shout
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. foot — a measure
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a dance

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