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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
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: spell · wound · bank · bat · safe · staff · temple · trunk

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — a short time
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bat — the animal
  17. spell — letters
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wound — an injury
  21. staff — employees
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bank — of a river
  24. spell — magic

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