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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · key · trunk · stand · drill · ball · capital · safe

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. drill — a practice
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. prune — to trim
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. key — for a lock
  17. drill — army training
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. key — in music
  20. capital — money
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. prune — to trim
  24. capital — a city

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