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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: bank · lie · net · track · saw · stem · bulb · prune

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. net — after costs
  3. prune — to trim
  4. track — a song
  5. bank — of a river
  6. track — to keep track
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. net — for catching
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. track — a path
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — to come from
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. net — in sport
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lie — to recline
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bulb — for light

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