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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pop — music
  3. file — a tool
  4. prune — to trim
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pop — soda
  7. pit — a hole
  8. plane — a tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bound — obliged
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pop — to visit
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pit — in a race
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bound — certain
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. file — a document
  24. bound — tied together

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