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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: ball · prune · net · spring · bank · suit · jam · shower

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spring — a coil
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. spring — of water
  5. bank — for money
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — of a river
  12. shower — rain
  13. net — in sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. net — after costs
  18. prune — to trim
  19. spring — the season
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — for catching

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