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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.

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: prune · bark · file · tube · craft · leaves · bank · cue

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. file — a tool
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bark — to shout
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — the underground
  16. file — a line of people
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. craft — boats
  21. file — a document
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. craft — a handicraft

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