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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bank — of a river
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — boats
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. game — a match
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. press — to push
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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