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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 120 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: dip · bay · prune · degree · rush · safe · stock · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. dip — to sink
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. degree — from a university
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — shares
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. degree — temperature
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rush — hurry
  17. degree — an amount
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stock — a soup base

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