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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: date · bass · safe · stick · prune · bore · nail · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bass — the fish
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — low music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. date — the fruit
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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