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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: club · shower · rest · trunk · key · temple · safe · can

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — the most important part
  3. club — for dancing
  4. shower — rain
  5. key — for a lock
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. can — to be able to
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. can — a tin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. club — a group
  15. shower — to wash
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. key — in music
  20. club — for golf
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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