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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: game · nail · trunk · safe · mouse · ball · ground · mark

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ball — a dance
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ground — the earth

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