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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: swing · pass · trunk · fork · bank · fan · deal · coach

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. swing — to play on
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — for money
  24. pass — to spend time

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