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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
YesNo
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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: stick · chair · rash · bank · safe · ball · spell · hand

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hand — help
  4. bank — for money
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bank — for money
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. hand — in cards
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bank — of a river
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rash — a series
  19. spell — magic
  20. chair — a leader
  21. ball — a great time
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — letters
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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