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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: arm · prune · bark · degree · lean · jam · scale · rock

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. degree — temperature
  3. lean — thin
  4. scale — in music
  5. lean — to bend
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. degree — from a university
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. scale — size or range
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. prune — to trim
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. prune — to trim
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. degree — an amount

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