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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cell — in biology
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. prune — to trim
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. fork — in a road
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wave — with your hand

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