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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spell — magic
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. spell — a short time
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. plane — a tool
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. pop — soda
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pop — to visit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spell — letters

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