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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: safe · fan · vault · root · ruler · prune · straw · kid

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kid — to tease
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. root — of a word
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. kid — child
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. prune — to trim
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. prune — the fruit

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