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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: capital · nail · saw · safe · shower · date · club · trunk

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. club — a group
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. date — the fruit
  9. shower — to wash
  10. capital — money
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — a city
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — rain
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. club — for dancing
  23. date — on the calendar
  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