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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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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 · bark · mark · stick · rest · key · stand · saw

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. key — for a lock
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stand — to bear
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rest — a break
  18. key — in music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mark — a grade
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stand — on your feet

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