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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: swing · safe · stick · bank · clip · toast · spell · trunk

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — magic
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. swing — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — to play on
  11. toast — bread
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — letters
  18. swing — in golf
  19. spell — a short time
  20. clip — for paper
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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