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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: content · file · squash · mate · trunk · bore · bank · racket

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. file — a line of people
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a friend
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bank — of a river
  10. file — a tool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. content — happy
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bank — for money
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. file — a document
  19. bore — to drill
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bank — for money
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mate — to breed

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