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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. chair — a leader
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. rock — music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lean — to bend
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. prune — to trim
  13. board — a committee
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lean — thin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. board — to get on

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