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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: safe · mine · trunk · row · rash · ball · rush · hand

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rash — a series
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. hand — in cards
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ball — a dance
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. row — a line
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. hand — help
  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