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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. row — to paddle
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. present — a gift
  9. squash — to crush
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. row — a line
  13. toast — bread
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. prune — to trim

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