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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — the cause
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bore — to tire
  8. track — a song
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — low music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. track — a path
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. root — of a word

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