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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. row — a line
  5. pound — a weight
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. row — to paddle
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. club — for dancing
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wind — moving air
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. club — a group
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. plane — a tool
  23. club — for golf
  24. wind — moving air

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