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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 120 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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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: plane · temple · safe · prune · rest · bear · present · cap

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rest — what's left
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — a break
  11. cap — of ice
  12. present — there
  13. prune — to trim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. cap — a hat
  23. present — a gift
  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