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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: bark · wake · pound · rush · craft · bank · firm · coach

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. craft — a skill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — for money
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — steady
  17. craft — boats
  18. rush — hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bark — to shout

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