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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: mug · bear · swing · pit · bank · wound · nail · trunk

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. swing — music
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — of a river
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — to rob
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — a face
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wound — an injury

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