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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: drill · pass · deal · stick · saw · prune · perch · stock

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. perch — the fish
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pass — a permit
  9. drill — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stock — goods
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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