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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: fan · rest · mouse · trunk · coach · fork · bank · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — certain
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — obliged
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bank — of a river

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