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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 120 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: bound · plane · bowl · safe · march · kid · club · prune

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. march — the month
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bound — certain
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — a tool
  11. club — for golf
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — tied together
  15. march — music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. march — the month
  19. kid — child
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. club — for dancing

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