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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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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: mouse · scale · trunk · saw · safe · file · firm · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — decided
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. file — a tool
  7. scale — size or range
  8. firm — a company
  9. saw — the tool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wind — moving air
  16. firm — steady
  17. file — a document
  18. scale — in music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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