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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: bark · ruler · plane · stock · club · prune · saw · craft

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. prune — to trim
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. club — for golf
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bark — to shout
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. craft — boats
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — a skill
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stock — goods
  21. saw — the tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stock — shares
  24. club — a group

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