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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cap — a lid
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — a group
  5. present — there
  6. cap — of ice
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. present — the time now
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cap — a hat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — for a lock
  15. club — for dancing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. key — in music
  18. club — for golf
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. present — a gift

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