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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: trunk · pass · nail · stick · fan · bank · band · net

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. net — in sport
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. net — after costs
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. net — for catching
  24. fan — a supporter

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