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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · jam · toast · prune · hand · rule · coach · chip

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. hand — help
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — government
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rule — a law
  21. hand — in cards
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. coach — a trainer

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