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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: tube · bank · wave · fork · suit · prune · kid · spring

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. prune — to trim
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — in a road
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — a container
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. kid — child
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — of the sea

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