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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — to fit
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — a position
  5. prune — to trim
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. swing — music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. swing — to play 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