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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
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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: safe · bowl · wax · net · rock · arm · prune · straw

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — in sport
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. net — after costs
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. prune — to trim
  17. net — for catching
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rock — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wax — to grow

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