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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: can · band · bark · mate · bank · kick · tear · track

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. can — a tin
  5. track — a song
  6. tear — from crying
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — for money
  9. band — a music group
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. tear — from crying
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mate — a partner
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bark — to shout
  21. track — a path
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mate — to breed

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