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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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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: patient · key · snap · safe · lie · pitch · prune · plane

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. key — in music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — to recline
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitch — completely
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — a tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — the most important part
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. safe — a strongbox

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