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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. row — a line
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chip — for betting
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chip — to eat
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fall — the season
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the animal

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