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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: mug · safe · capital · prune · plane · content · mate · straw

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mug — a cup
  5. prune — to trim
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. content — happy
  11. content — the amount
  12. mate — a partner
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. capital — money
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mug — to rob
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mug — a face
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. content — videos and posts

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