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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: stick · bark · race · plane · prune · stock · wake · pop

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pop — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stock — shares
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stock — goods
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. race — a contest
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pop — soda
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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