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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: stand · craft · toast · bore · bank · date · trunk · fork

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — boats
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bank — for money
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stand — to bear
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. craft — a skill
  17. toast — bread
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fork — in a road

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