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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.

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: prune · nail · toast · spell · bat · safe · drill · bay

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. prune — to trim
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. drill — army training
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — the animal
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spell — letters
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. toast — bread
  24. drill — the tool

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