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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bay · fall · nail · fine · bank · file · net

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. net — in sport
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. net — for catching
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. net — after costs
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fall — the season
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. file — a document
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — high quality
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fine — all right
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. file — a tool
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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