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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: ball · arm · press · hand · safe · temple · content · bank

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — to push
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hand — help
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — the amount
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. press — newspapers
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. press — a publisher
  24. ball — a great time

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