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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 · spell · drill · net · board · current · bank · stem

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — of a river
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. net — for catching
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. drill — the tool
  10. spell — magic
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. current — of water
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — a committee
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — in sport
  19. bank — for money
  20. current — electric
  21. spell — letters
  22. net — after costs
  23. bank — for money
  24. drill — army training

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