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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
468
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: leaves · prune · safe · rash · press · bark · firm · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. firm — steady
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rash — hasty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. press — to push
  9. mate — a friend
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rash — a series
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mate — to breed
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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