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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: safe · nail · sharp · squash · board · trunk · date · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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. board — a flat piece
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. date — the fruit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. squash — the sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. sharp — clever
  21. squash — to crush
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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