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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. kid — child
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wind — moving air
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — a break
  15. wind — moving air
  16. prune — to trim
  17. craft — boats
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rest — what's left

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