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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. season — in sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. net — after costs
  9. prune — to trim
  10. net — in sport
  11. plane — a tool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — to visit
  15. season — of the year
  16. face — to confront
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. net — for catching
  20. deal — to handle
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. prune — to trim
  24. season — to add flavour

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