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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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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: prune · pass · mouse · game · current · mark · tube · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bark — to shout
  4. game — wild animals
  5. current — of water
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. prune — to trim
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. current — happening now
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. game — a match
  18. tube — a container
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. current — electric
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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