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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: net · bank · bore · track · object · rock · band · trunk

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. object — to protest
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — an aim
  5. bore — to tire
  6. net — after costs
  7. track — a song
  8. rock — a stone
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bank — for money
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. track — a path
  15. band — a music group
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. band — a ring
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rock — music
  22. object — a thing
  23. track — to keep track
  24. net — in sport

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