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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 120 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fork — in a road
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. prune — to trim
  7. race — humankind
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. vault — a safe
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. race — the arms race
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — a contest
  24. foot — a measure

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