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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: ground · shower · can · nail · safe · coach · net · trunk

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. shower — rain
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. can — a tin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. net — for catching
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. ground — a position
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. net — in sport
  17. can — a tin
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — after costs
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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