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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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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 · trunk · cap · object · bore · rest · bay · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. object — to protest
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a hat
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. object — a thing
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. object — an aim
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rest — a break
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — a tight spot

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