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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: bank · last · suit · trunk · date · nail · root · calf

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a word
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. last — finally
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. date — the fruit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. last — final
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. root — the cause
  21. bank — of a river
  22. last — to go on
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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