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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: band · bay · calf · arm · bank · jam · trunk · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. band — a music group
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. band — a ring
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bank — of a river
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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