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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.

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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: track · safe · tear · cue · prune · plane · cell · calf

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. track — a path
  4. tear — from crying
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. track — a song
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cell — in biology
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tear — to rip
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cue — for pool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cell — a phone

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