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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: ball · roll · object · trunk · last · bear · safe · stock

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — a list
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. last — finally
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. last — to go on
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stock — shares
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ball — a great time
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. roll — a cake
  14. stock — goods
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ball — a dance
  22. object — a thing
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. last — final

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