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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: bore · dip · racket · band · field · bank · suit · trunk

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. field — a subject
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bore — to tire
  15. field — for sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. band — a ring
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. field — farmland
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bore — to drill

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