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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: safe · net · plane · prune · suit · spring · bear · perch

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. net — for catching
  3. spring — of water
  4. perch — the fish
  5. spring — a coil
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — a tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. perch — for a bird

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