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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. 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. bass — the instrument
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bass — the fish
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — in a road
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. bass — low music
  24. fork — a garden tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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