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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: fork · staff · squash · pit · cabinet · trunk · bank · chip

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. staff — employees
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. staff — a stick
  8. squash — to crush
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — employees
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pit — a hole
  24. squash — the vegetable

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