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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: prune · cap · net · bark · jam · bank · fork · dip

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. net — for catching
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. net — after costs
  13. prune — to trim
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bark — to shout
  16. dip — to sink
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — for money
  19. cap — of ice
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. net — in sport
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bark — of a tree

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