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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 · lie · trunk · bank · fan · object · prune · lean

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. object — to protest
  11. spell — magic
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lean — to bend
  16. object — an aim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — letters
  21. object — a thing
  22. lie — to recline
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. lean — thin

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