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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: bank · rush · calf · track · ruler · prune · dip · fan

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. prune — to trim
  11. track — a song
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. bank — for money
  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