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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · prune · ball · safe · fork · spell · straw · trunk

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. prune — to trim
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. prune — to trim
  23. coach — a trainer
  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