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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 · trunk · bank · fork · prune · squash · current · nail

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bank — of a river
  4. track — a song
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. current — happening now
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. squash — the sport
  11. current — electric
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. track — a path
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. current — of water
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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