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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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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 · lean · race · track · ruler · safe · sharp · perch

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. track — a path
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — the arms race
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lean — to bend
  10. race — a contest
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — a song
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. sharp — clever
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. race — humankind

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