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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. squash — to crush
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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