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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: trunk · scale · stick · kid · ball · game · bank · leaves

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. game — a match
  6. scale — size or range
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. kid — to tease
  9. scale — in music
  10. game — wild animals
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ball — a dance
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a great time
  24. kid — child

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