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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
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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: racket · date · scale · safe · patient · ball · snap · trunk

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ball — a dance
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to click
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — size or range
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ball — a great time
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. ball — a round shape

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