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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: stand · trunk · fan · can · chair · net · bore · bank

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — to be able to
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. chair — a leader
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bank — for money
  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