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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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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: content · wound · safe · kick · mate · prune · lash · bank

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mate — to breed
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wound — an injury
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. content — happy
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kick — in football
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. content — the amount
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bank — for money
  24. mate — a friend

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