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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.

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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 · lean · mug · rush · coach · wind · dip · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mug — to rob
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mug — a cup
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lean — to bend
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lean — thin
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. dip — to sink
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mug — a face
  24. wind — moving air

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