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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 116 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: net · prune · staff · wake · mug · racket · rest · bank

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. net — after costs
  7. mug — a cup
  8. staff — employees
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mug — a face
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — in sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mug — to rob
  21. net — for catching
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rest — a break
  24. racket — for tennis

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