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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: branch · foot · file · roll · bank · bore · trunk · fine

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. roll — a list
  3. fine — high quality
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — of a river
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. branch — a division
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bank — for money
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a line of people
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fine — all right
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bore — to drill
  21. foot — a measure
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. file — a document

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