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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: prune · trunk · deal · safe · bass · board · dip · rash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. prune — to trim
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rash — a series
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. board — a committee
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bass — the fish
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bass — low music
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. board — to get on
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. dip — to sink

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