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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lean · season · wave · plane · trunk · clip · temple · safe

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. season — in sport
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. clip — a video
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. clip — to cut
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. clip — for paper
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. season — of the year

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