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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: coach · bound · club · content · prune · dip · safe · rest

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. club — for golf
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — happy
  9. prune — to trim
  10. club — a group
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bound — tied together
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bound — obliged
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. content — the amount
  21. prune — to trim
  22. club — for dancing
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rest — a break

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