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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · pit · trunk · plane · bank · bear · mine · swing

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pit — in a race
  11. plane — a tool
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. swing — to play on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bank — for money
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. swing — in golf
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bank — for money
  24. bear — the animal

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