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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 116 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: club · rush · prune · suit · tube · chip · fan · safe

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — hurry
  6. club — a group
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. tube — the underground
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — in cards

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