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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bass — low music
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the fish
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. dip — to sink
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rash — a series
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ball — a dance
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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