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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 120 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: trunk · nail · track · bank · prune · pop · pass · bark

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. track — a song
  3. prune — to trim
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pop — music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pop — soda
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — to keep track
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. prune — the fruit

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