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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: bound · prune · mark · key · stick · bark · bank · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bound — tied together
  12. key — the most important part
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — in music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a trace
  18. key — for a lock
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — of a river
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bound — certain

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