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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: safe · sharp · face · rest · present · club · bank · firm

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rest — a break
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — steady
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. face — to confront
  9. present — a gift
  10. rest — what's left
  11. present — there
  12. face — to point toward
  13. present — the time now
  14. club — for golf
  15. bank — of a river
  16. firm — decided
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — a company
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. club — a group
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. club — for dancing

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