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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — the cause
  5. net — in sport
  6. dip — to sink
  7. net — for catching
  8. fork — in a road
  9. root — of a word
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. net — after costs
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. root — of a plant
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fork — a garden tool

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