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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. kid — child
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mug — to rob
  9. kid — to tease
  10. pit — in a race
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. band — a music group
  16. mug — a cup
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. band — a ring
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mug — a face
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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