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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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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 · safe · wake · bay · nail · chair · stick · season

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. season — of the year
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wake — a trail
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. prune — to trim
  16. season — in sport
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wake — before a funeral

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