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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: calf · bank · trunk · coach · toast · prune · fan · row

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. row — to paddle
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. prune — to trim
  17. row — a line
  18. prune — to trim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bank — for money
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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