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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: face · wound · trunk · band · arm · safe · roll · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. band — a ring
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. face — part of the head
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rock — a stone
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rock — music
  16. roll — a list
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — to confront
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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