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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: rest · prune · scale · bound · cell · bark · bank · suit

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cell — in biology
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — a break
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. scale — in music
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — a phone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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