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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: rock · rush · prune · spell · bore · last · safe · tube

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rock — a stone
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. prune — to trim
  6. last — final
  7. prune — to trim
  8. last — finally
  9. tube — a container
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rock — music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. last — to go on
  17. rush — hurry
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. spell — a short time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bore — gave birth

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