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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: chip · prune · fan · wound · ball · patient · stick · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — to eat
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chip — for betting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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