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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: straw · safe · prune · racket · present · shower · fine · net

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fine — high quality
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. net — for catching
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. present — a gift
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. present — the time now
  12. prune — to trim
  13. present — there
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fine — all right
  18. net — after costs
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — in sport
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — to trim

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