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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: track · nail · perch · wake · bank · bear · prune · roll

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. perch — the fish
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — a cake
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wake — a trail
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bank — of a river
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. track — a path
  22. bank — for money
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wake — before a funeral

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