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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: file · pop · fork · trunk · rock · arm · bank · mate

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mate — a partner
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. file — a tool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pop — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — soda
  19. rock — music
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fork — in a road
  24. file — a document

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