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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. plane — a tool
  5. spring — the season
  6. rush — hurry
  7. squash — to crush
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spring — of water
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. spring — a coil
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. lie — an untruth

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