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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. club — for golf
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. club — for dancing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. club — a group
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bat — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. nail — on a finger

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