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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — for pool
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. net — after costs
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. net — for catching
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — to pay attention

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