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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: deal · rush · plane · snap · safe · bass · prune · spell

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. spell — letters
  4. plane — a tool
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bass — the fish
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. snap — to click
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — low music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rush — hurry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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