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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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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: rest · foot · pound · band · bank · mate · trunk · face

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rest — a break
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. band — a music group
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mate — a partner
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — to confront
  21. band — a ring
  22. rest — what's left
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mate — a friend

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