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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · trunk · bass · fine · arm · perch · stock · bank

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. file — a tool
  11. bass — low music
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bank — of a river
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bank — for money
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fine — all right

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