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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: dip · cold · can · safe · bear · prune · squash · bark

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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. cold — not warm
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — to shout
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. prune — to trim
  8. can — a tin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bear — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — to dunk
  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