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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: lean · safe · bay · date · prune · staff · drill · jam

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lean — thin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. staff — employees
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. staff — employees
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. staff — a stick
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. date — the fruit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lean — to bend

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