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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: racket · spring · prune · club · scale · plane · can · bank

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. club — for dancing
  5. scale — in music
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. club — for golf
  8. spring — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — size or range
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — a group
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spring — of water
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — a tin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bank — of a river

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