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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: dip · bay · bank · trunk · date · mouse · stock · key

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bank — of a river
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bank — for money
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bank — for money
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. key — in music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stock — shares
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stock — goods
  24. dip — to dunk

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