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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: mark · file · safe · trunk · temple · swing · pitch · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a tool
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. swing — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. prune — to trim
  17. swing — to play on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mark — a grade
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pitch — completely
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. safe — out of danger

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