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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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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: prune · ball · craft · racket · club · roll · rush · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rush — hurry
  10. roll — a list
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a dance
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. club — for golf
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. club — a group
  18. ball — a great time
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. craft — boats

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