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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 116 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: club · bank · bass · trunk · track · staff · ruler · saw

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. track — a song
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. saw — the tool
  7. club — a group
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bank — for money
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. staff — employees
  13. bank — of a river
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. track — a path
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the fish
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bass — low music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. track — to keep track
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — for money

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