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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: cue · safe · date · prune · bear · bound · bark · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bark — to shout
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bound — tied together
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bound — certain
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. date — the fruit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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