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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: kid · trunk · wake · cabinet · can · safe · season · bay

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wake — a trail
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kid — to tease
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. season — of the year
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. season — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. can — to be able to

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