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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · key · prune · jam · toast · bark · current · pit

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bark — to shout
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. current — electric
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. key — in music
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. key — the most important part
  16. saw — the tool
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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