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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bank — for money
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — of a river
  7. swing — to play on
  8. object — to protest
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. object — an aim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. swing — music
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bank — for money
  21. bore — to tire
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. object — a thing
  24. swing — in golf

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