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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: saw · bay · prune · drill · file · cap · bark · bank

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. file — a line of people
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. file — a tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. file — a document
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. drill — army training
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cap — a hat
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cap — a lid
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. prune — to trim

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