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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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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: wind · racket · bowl · nail · trunk · safe · cap · suit

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — a hat
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wind — moving air
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — in cards

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