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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: bank · bark · track · bore · bear · spring · present · stand

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bank — for money
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. present — there
  9. spring — of water
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bore — to drill
  19. spring — the season
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. track — a path
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — a gift

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