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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: safe · hide · club · fork · temple · wave · trunk · bat

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. club — a group
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. club — for dancing
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. club — for golf
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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