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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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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: date · club · tear · band · prune · lash · safe · spell

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. club — a group
  3. tear — to rip
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. spell — magic
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. club — for dancing
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a music group
  17. club — for golf
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. band — a ring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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