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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 116 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: rush · band · root · prune · bank · craft · club · tube

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. prune — to trim
  3. club — for dancing
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. root — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. root — of a word
  12. club — a group
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bank — of a river
  15. band — a ring
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. root — the cause
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bank — for money
  24. club — for golf

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