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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: spell · trunk · bank · hand · chip · pop · date · lie

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spell — magic
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — to eat
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. spell — letters
  14. bank — of a river
  15. date — the fruit
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — music
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bank — for money
  21. hand — help
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pop — soda
  24. lie — to recline

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