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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: tube · calf · prune · staff · bear · mark · track · board

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — the underground
  3. track — a song
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. staff — employees
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — a container
  19. staff — employees
  20. board — a committee
  21. staff — a stick
  22. track — a path
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. prune — to trim

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