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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: rock · suit · prune · degree · saw · safe · spring · shower

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. shower — rain
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rock — a stone
  9. suit — clothes
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. shower — to wash
  12. spring — a coil
  13. degree — from a university
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. degree — an amount
  23. spring — of water
  24. prune — to trim

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