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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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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: date · safe · jam · nail · ruler · content · trunk · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. last — final
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. date — the fruit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. last — to go on
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. content — happy
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. last — finally
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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