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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 116 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: dip · prune · bulb · fork · bark · mug · pound · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bulb — for light
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mug — a face
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pound — a weight
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pound — for dogs

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