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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: trunk · lean · nail · ball · safe · rest · mate · track

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ball — a dance
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rest — what's left
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lean — to bend
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lean — thin
  22. track — a path
  23. mate — a friend
  24. track — to keep track

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