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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: rest · cabinet · bank · date · hand · stand · trunk · cap

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — for money
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hand — help
  8. cap — of ice
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cap — a lid
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rest — a break

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