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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: prune · key · cabinet · arm · clip · stand · bark · mug

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mug — a cup
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bark — to shout
  6. key — in music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — to rob
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mug — a face
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. clip — to cut

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