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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 116 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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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: prune · cue · mark · kid · fork · suit · safe · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kid — child
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cue — a hint
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cue — for pool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. suit — clothes
  16. kid — to tease
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. mark — a trace
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lean — thin
  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