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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
468
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 · tube · racket · ball · trunk · spell · mouse · file

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. tube — the underground
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spell — letters
  7. ball — a great time
  8. file — a line of people
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — magic
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. file — a tool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. file — a document
  24. spell — a short time

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