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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: saw · firm · net · plane · deal · bear · safe · hand

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. firm — a company
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. firm — decided
  20. hand — help
  21. net — in sport
  22. hand — in cards
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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