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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · key · spring · safe · row · track

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. prune — to trim
  3. track — to keep track
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. spring — of water
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. spring — the season
  12. row — a line
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spring — a coil
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger

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