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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fine — all right
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. firm — a company
  16. fine — high quality
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bark — to shout

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