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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: ball · rush · fork · bear · track · bank · fine · mark

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. track — a song
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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