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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: trunk · safe · key · chest · hand · arm · rock · bank

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. hand — help
  3. chest — of your body
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chest — a box
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. key — the most important part
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — for money
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — in music
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rock — a stone

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