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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: snap · trunk · safe · bass · squash · tube · bay · net

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. net — for catching
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. squash — the sport
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bass — the fish
  11. net — in sport
  12. tube — a container
  13. bass — low music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to click
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. net — after costs
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bass — the instrument

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