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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 120 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: trunk · chip · racket · object · land · bank · mine · coach

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. object — to protest
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — for betting
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bank — for money
  13. object — an aim
  14. bank — of a river
  15. land — to come down
  16. object — a thing
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mine — for digging
  21. land — a country
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. land — ground
  24. racket — for tennis

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