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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 116 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: fine · safe · prune · game · nail · object · season · track

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. season — of the year
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — to protest
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. season — in sport
  10. object — an aim
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. game — a match
  15. fine — high quality
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. game — wild animals
  18. fine — all right
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — a song
  22. object — a thing
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. prune — to trim

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