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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 120 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: trunk · racket · pitcher · net · safe · can · sharp · ruler

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. net — for catching
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. net — in sport
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. sharp — clever
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. can — to be able to
  19. net — after costs
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. sharp — with an edge

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