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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: trunk · safe · ball · net · branch · can · bear · bay

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — in sport
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. can — a tin
  10. net — after costs
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ball — a great time
  19. branch — a division
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. net — for catching
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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