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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: safe · prune · racket · straw · arm · swing · bank · suit

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — to fit
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bank — of a river
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. prune — to trim
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. racket — for tennis

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