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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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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: prune · lean · sharp · spring · mark · bound · chip · safe

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lean — thin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. lean — to bend
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mark — a trace
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. spring — of water
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spring — the season

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