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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · trunk · drill · patient · bowl · stock · file · safe

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. file — a document
  4. stock — shares
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. drill — the tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. drill — army training
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. drill — a practice
  21. file — a tool
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stock — goods
  24. patient — a sick person

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