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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 116 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: tear · content · bank · safe · lean · craft · last · trunk

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. last — to go on
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. last — final
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tear — from crying
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bank — for money
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. last — finally
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. content — happy
  16. content — the amount
  17. craft — boats
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bank — of a river
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lean — thin

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