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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 · pitcher · prune · stick · bulb · board · racket · craft

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bark — to shout
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — a committee
  12. prune — to trim
  13. craft — boats
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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