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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: bank · clip · game · safe · temple · fan · club · coach

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bank — of a river
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — a video
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. clip — to cut
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bank — for money
  15. game — a match
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. coach — a trainer

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