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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: prune · present · safe · hand · roll · rest · vault · suit

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. present — a gift
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — clothes
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rest — a break
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. present — there
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rest — what's left
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hand — help
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. roll — a cake
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. suit — in cards
  24. safe — out of danger

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