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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 120 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
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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: mate · squash · rush · ruler · stock · safe · arm · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stock — shares
  4. rush — hurry
  5. squash — to crush
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stock — goods
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mate — to breed
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. squash — the sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. mate — a partner

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