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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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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — soda
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. net — for catching
  7. chair — a leader
  8. net — in sport
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pop — to visit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pop — music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — after costs
  24. safe — out of danger

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