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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 120 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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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: lash · kid · arm · last · stick · bank · charge · safe

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. last — final
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. charge — electricity
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. kid — child
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kid — to tease
  24. lash — an eyelash

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