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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — a series
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rash — hasty
  8. court — of a king
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — to trim
  16. chip — for betting
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. court — of law
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — to eat

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