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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: dip · safe · roll · press · trunk · row · scale · wound

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — in music
  4. roll — a list
  5. press — to push
  6. wound — an injury
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. roll — a cake
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. row — to paddle
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. wound — an injury
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. dip — to sink
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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