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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: prune · craft · wound · fan · straw · roll · present · safe

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. roll — a cake
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — there
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. roll — a list
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. roll — on a roll

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