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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.

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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: nail · ball · game · band · deal · suit · bank · trunk

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. band — a music group
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. suit — in cards
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. band — a ring
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. ball — a dance
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bank — for money
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — clothes
  19. game — a match
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. game — wild animals
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — to fit
  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