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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: saw · pop · safe · can · mine · trunk · squash · arm

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. pop — soda
  15. mine — for digging
  16. squash — the sport
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. squash — to crush
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pop — music

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