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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. track — a path
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. track — a song
  7. snap — to click
  8. prune — to trim
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. net — in sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. track — to keep track
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — after costs
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. suit — in cards
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. plane — a tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. prune — to trim

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