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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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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: fork · race · temple · nail · trunk · tube · safe · cap

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — a container
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. race — the arms race
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — a hat
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. race — a contest
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cap — of ice
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cap — a lid
  20. tube — the underground
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. race — humankind
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fork — in a road

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