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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · fall · safe · branch · foot · plane · wound · rock

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rock — a stone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. plane — a tool
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. branch — a division
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. net — for catching
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wound — an injury
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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