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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pop — to visit
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. race — humankind
  11. pop — music
  12. lean — thin
  13. race — a contest
  14. pop — soda
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wound — an injury
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wound — an injury

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