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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 · temple · racket · tear · safe · trunk · roll · nail

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. saw — the tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. roll — a cake
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. roll — a list
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tear — to rip
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. roll — on a roll

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