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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: date · snap · band · object · bat · trunk · bank · suit

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. object — an aim
  3. date — the fruit
  4. object — a thing
  5. suit — clothes
  6. snap — to click
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. object — to protest
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bat — the animal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  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