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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: land · deal · safe · tear · racket · can · trunk · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. can — to be able to
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. tear — from crying
  13. land — to come down
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. land — ground
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. land — a country
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lean — to bend
  23. deal — to handle
  24. racket — for tennis

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