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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: bass · safe · prune · snap · cue · bowl · wound · file

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bass — the fish
  5. prune — to trim
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — a signal
  8. file — a tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. file — a document
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. cue — a hint
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. snap — to click
  24. bowl — to roll

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