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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wake · bank · bear · prune · fork · ball · tube · track

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. track — a song
  8. tube — a container
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. track — a path
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. tube — the underground
  21. track — to keep track
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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