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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
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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: safe · last · trunk · bank · object · dip · patient · degree

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — a thing
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. object — an aim
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — to go on
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. dip — to sink
  15. degree — from a university
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. last — final
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. object — to protest
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. trunk — of a car

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