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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 · can · roll · arm · court · stem · key · trunk

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. key — the most important part
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. roll — a cake
  12. can — a tin
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. roll — a list
  15. key — in music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stem — to come from
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. court — of a king

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