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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pitch — completely
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. face — to confront
  6. chip — to eat
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. face — part of the head

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