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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
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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 · object · branch · prune · lean · safe · ball · fall

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — to handle
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fall — to drop
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. object — to protest
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fall — the season
  21. lean — to bend
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — an aim

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