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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.

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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: file · prune · bay · bank · stick · bear · stand · mouse

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bank — of a river
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. file — a tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. file — a document
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mouse — the animal

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