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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: prune · pound · straw · rush · current · ground · safe · degree

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — of water
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ground — crushed
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. degree — an amount
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. current — happening now
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. ground — a position
  19. current — electric
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rush — hurry
  22. degree — from a university
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. pound — a weight

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