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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 · wave · kick · club · march · safe · racket · shower

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. march — the month
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. club — a group
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. march — music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. kick — with a leg

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