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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: suit · prune · track · dip · field · trunk · snap · bank

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. field — a subject
  4. track — a path
  5. bank — for money
  6. suit — in cards
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. dip — to sink
  12. suit — to fit
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. track — to keep track
  18. prune — to trim
  19. track — a song
  20. suit — clothes
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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