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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: wound · deal · pitcher · bass · bank · rest · face · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. face — to point toward
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rest — a break
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bank — for money
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bank — for money
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bank — of a river
  23. face — to confront
  24. deal — a big deal

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