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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: safe · stick · pitcher · ruler · hide · prune · clip · calf

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — a video
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. safe — out of danger

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