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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 120 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: safe · branch · ball · mark · trunk · bat · fan · fine

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bat — the animal
  7. branch — a division
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ball — a great time
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. fine — high quality
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — a strongbox

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