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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 · safe · mark · wake · leaves · suit · dip · deal

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. suit — to fit
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wake — a trail
  14. dip — to sink
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mark — a trace
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. suit — clothes

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