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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: mark · trunk · bass · bank · date · vault · arm · jam

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bass — the fish
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bass — low music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mark — a trace
  17. vault — a safe
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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