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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: craft · pit · cabinet · roll · bank · trunk · rest · hand

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. craft — boats
  5. roll — a list
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rest — what's left
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rest — a break
  24. bank — of a river

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