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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: prune · rock · bank · roll · stick · wake · stock · dip

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bank — for money
  3. stock — shares
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bank — of a river
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. roll — a list
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wake — a trail
  24. dip — to sink

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