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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pop — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pit — a hole
  14. plane — a tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pop — soda

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