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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 · cabinet · trunk · chip · sharp · prune · bat · key

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. chip — to eat
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — in music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. key — for a lock
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. prune — to trim
  21. sharp — clever
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bat — the animal
  24. chip — for betting

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