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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: plane · club · land · bear · roll · bank · date · trunk

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. club — for dancing
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bear — the animal
  8. land — a country
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a list
  13. land — ground
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. land — to come down
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. club — for golf
  21. plane — a tool
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bank — of a river
  24. trunk — of a car

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