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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 · field · snap · rock · rash · date · board · nail

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rash — a series
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rock — a stone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rock — music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. field — a subject
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — to get on
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. field — for sport
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rash — hasty
  23. snap — to click
  24. field — farmland

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