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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 116 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: bay · rush · wound · prune · hide · capital · cue · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. capital — money
  9. cue — a hint
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cue — for pool
  13. capital — a city
  14. cue — a signal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rush — hurry
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wound — an injury

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