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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bass — low music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bass — the fish
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — for money
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. capital — money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. safe — out of danger

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