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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 120 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: file · ground · craft · branch · bank · coach · fine · trunk

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — all right
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ground — the earth
  7. file — a tool
  8. bank — of a river
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. branch — a division
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. file — a line of people
  14. craft — boats
  15. ground — crushed
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ground — a position
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. fine — high quality
  22. craft — a skill
  23. file — a document
  24. trunk — of a car

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