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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: mine · trunk · bear · game · bowl · bay · bank · arm

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bank — for money
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mine — for digging
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bank — for money
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. trunk — of a car

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