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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 · bank · wake · cap · ball · lash · chip · mark

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mark — a grade
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cap — a hat
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — for money
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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