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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fine — all right
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. firm — steady
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. roll — a list
  14. firm — decided
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. firm — a company
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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