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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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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. net — in sport
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. firm — decided
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — a tool
  9. net — after costs
  10. prune — to trim
  11. drill — army training
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lie — to recline
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — steady
  19. drill — the tool
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. firm — a company
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. net — for catching

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