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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: lean · trunk · arm · sharp · racket · wound · bank · firm

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. firm — a company
  7. sharp — clever
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lean — thin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. firm — steady
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lean — to bend
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. firm — decided
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — part of the body

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