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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 120 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: trunk · firm · fine · ruler · safe · court · current · wound

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. firm — steady
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — happening now
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of law
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fine — high quality
  10. firm — a company
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. court — of a king
  13. wound — an injury
  14. current — of water
  15. firm — decided
  16. current — electric
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fine — all right
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. court — for sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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