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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: bay · spell · trunk · mug · net · race · swing · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — music
  3. race — a contest
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. race — humankind
  8. swing — to play on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. net — after costs
  11. spell — magic
  12. race — the arms race
  13. spell — letters
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. spell — a short time
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mug — a face
  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