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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: mouse · wake · coach · fall · plane · spring · safe · prune

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. spring — of water
  3. fall — to drop
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. spring — a coil
  6. plane — a tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spring — the season
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fall — the season
  24. wake — a trail

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