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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: trunk · rush · bark · bank · wax · suit · race · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bank — for money
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. race — a contest
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. suit — in cards
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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