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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bank — of a river
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. plane — in geometry

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