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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — a song
  3. prune — to trim
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mate — a partner
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mate — a friend
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. track — a path
  23. sharp — clever
  24. plane — an aircraft

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