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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bass — the fish
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tube — a container
  6. fork — in a road
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bass — low music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — a tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. prune — the fruit

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