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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. prune — to trim
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. branch — a division
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mark — a grade
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bass — low music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bass — the fish
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — to handle

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