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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: date · board · hide · prune · racket · wave · hand · safe

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. date — the fruit
  8. board — a committee
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hand — help
  15. board — to get on
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. hand — in cards
  24. racket — a loud noise

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