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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — music
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — to recline
  6. prune — to trim
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. march — music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. march — the month
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. march — the month

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