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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: game · net · prune · fine · track · bear · object · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. game — a match
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. track — a song
  6. net — in sport
  7. fine — high quality
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — to protest
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. game — wild animals
  13. net — for catching
  14. fine — all right
  15. object — an aim
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. object — a thing
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — a path
  24. net — after costs

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