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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 120 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — happening now
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. current — of water
  14. rush — hurry
  15. current — electric
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. prune — to trim
  20. foot — a measure
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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