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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — in sport
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bank — of a river
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. tube — a container
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. suit — to fit
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. net — for catching
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — the sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. bark — to shout
  24. squash — to crush

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