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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · hide · bear · chair · safe · cell

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cell — a phone
  9. chair — a leader
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bear — the animal
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin

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