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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 · prune · rule · land · hand · safe · straw · rock

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. land — a country
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. land — ground
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hand — help
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rule — a law
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rock — a stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. land — to come down
  23. rock — music
  24. safe — a strongbox

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