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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: safe · ball · straw · prune · bay · current · track · march

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. track — a song
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. track — a path
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. march — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a dance
  19. current — electric
  20. ball — a great time
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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