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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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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: club · bear · mark · bank · trunk · staff · bowl · pit

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bank — for money
  19. staff — employees
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. club — for golf
  23. mark — a trace
  24. club — a group

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