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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — to come from
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. drill — the tool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. wax — to grow
  24. coach — a trainer

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