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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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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: snap · cabinet · temple · bear · ball · clip · trunk · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. clip — for paper
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bank — of a river
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. clip — a video
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bank — for money
  23. snap — to click
  24. bear — the animal

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