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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: bank · arm · track · nail · prune · present · suit · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. track — a song
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bank — of a river
  7. present — there
  8. track — a path
  9. prune — to trim
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. present — the time now
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. present — a gift
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — the most admired

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