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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: safe · ground · board · craft · lash · prune · rush · rash

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ground — a position
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ground — crushed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. craft — boats
  20. board — to get on
  21. ground — the earth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rash — a series
  24. craft — a skill

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