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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: spring · prune · band · ball · plane · root · bank · chip

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — the cause
  5. spring — of water
  6. root — of a plant
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. spring — the season
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spring — a coil
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ball — a great time
  20. prune — to trim
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. plane — a tool
  24. band — a music group

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