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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.

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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — a division
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. firm — decided
  6. net — in sport
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. net — for catching
  9. suit — in cards
  10. season — of the year
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — clothes
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — after costs
  24. season — in sport

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