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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.

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: safe · rest · stem · bank · temple · ball · trunk · spell

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a great time
  3. spell — letters
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spell — a short time
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — to come from
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rest — a break
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. spell — magic
  24. stem — of a plant

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