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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. prune — to trim
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fork — in a road
  17. swing — music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fork — a garden tool

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