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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: object · face · march · coach · trunk · hand · bank · safe

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. trunk — of a car
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. hand — in cards
  10. face — part of the head
  11. object — an aim
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — of a river
  14. object — to protest
  15. march — the month
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — a thing
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. march — music
  20. hand — help
  21. face — to point toward
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. march — the month
  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