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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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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: foot · trunk · bank · perch · vault · wound · staff · arm

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. staff — employees
  3. bank — of a river
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. staff — employees
  7. bank — for money
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. vault — a safe
  12. staff — a stick
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. perch — the fish

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