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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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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: ruler · prune · branch · rash · safe · dip · racket · straw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. branch — a division
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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