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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: safe · game · pop · firm · plane · pass · root · net

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. net — after costs
  3. pass — a permit
  4. plane — a tool
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pop — soda
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. firm — decided
  11. pop — music
  12. game — a match
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — steady
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. root — of a word
  20. net — for catching
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. net — in sport
  24. 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