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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — clothes
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. saw — the tool
  11. snap — to click
  12. row — a line
  13. suit — in cards
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. dip — to sink
  20. row — to paddle
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. safe — out of danger

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