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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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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: craft · tube · safe · prune · spring · bear · rush · chair

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. craft — boats
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. craft — a skill
  13. tube — a container
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spring — a coil
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chair — a leader
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. safe — out of danger

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