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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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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: bear · ruler · date · prune · nail · safe · straw · rest

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. prune — to trim
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. prune — to trim

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