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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.

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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: mark · wind · prune · coach · wave · cap · bay · safe

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wind — moving air
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wind — moving air
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cap — a hat
  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