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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: wake · spell · bark · craft · track · cabinet · bulb · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wake — a trail
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — boats
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — letters
  9. bank — for money
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. spell — magic
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — to keep track
  14. spell — a short time
  15. track — a song
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. track — a path
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bark — to shout

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