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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: foot · mate · trunk · chest · craft · bank · nail · dip

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mate — a friend
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chest — a box
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mate — to breed
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. dip — to sink
  15. foot — a measure
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mate — a partner
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. nail — for a hammer

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