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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: bark · leaves · staff · prune · bank · net · mug · tube

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. net — after costs
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bank — of a river
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. prune — to trim
  10. net — in sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bark — to shout
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. staff — employees
  21. bank — for money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. staff — a stick
  24. leaves — lets stay

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