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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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. lie — to recline
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. firm — decided
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. plane — a tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — steady
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — a series
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. firm — a company
  23. bear — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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