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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bound — certain
  5. track — a path
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. plane — a tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pitch — completely
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bound — obliged

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