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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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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 · cell · mark · safe · toast · rest · squash · cabinet

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — bread
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — a trace
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the sport
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cell — a phone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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