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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: bank · file · straw · club · mate · trunk · racket · rush

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. file — a tool
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. club — for golf
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. file — a document
  9. rush — hurry
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mate — to breed
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bank — for money
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — a friend
  22. club — a group
  23. mate — a partner
  24. straw — dry grass

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