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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.

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: face · bulb · bank · prune · stick · track · coach · shower

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bank — of a river
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. face — part of the head
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — to point toward
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. track — to keep track
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to confront
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. track — a path
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. shower — to wash
  24. track — a song

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