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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.

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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: patient · stem · bank · nail · pitcher · net · bay · trunk

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — in sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — for money
  14. stem — to come from
  15. net — for catching
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bank — for money
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — for a hammer

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