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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 116 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: spell · row · mug · safe · content · object · trunk · track

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. track — a path
  4. mug — a cup
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — the amount
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. row — a line
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. track — a song
  15. content — happy
  16. track — to keep track
  17. spell — magic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spell — letters
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. object — to protest
  23. mug — a face
  24. row — to paddle

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