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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: present · hide · safe · trunk · mate · chip · lie · nail

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mate — a friend
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — to breed
  7. chip — for betting
  8. present — a gift
  9. chip — to eat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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