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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 116 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pit — in a race
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — of a river
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rush — hurry
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bank — for money
  24. bass — the fish

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