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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: dip · safe · swing · spell · ground · rest · prune · suit

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ground — a position
  4. swing — in golf
  5. suit — to fit
  6. swing — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ground — the earth
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. prune — to trim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ground — crushed
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rest — a break
  21. spell — a short time
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — magic
  24. safe — a strongbox

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