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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. clip — a video
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pop — music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bound — obliged
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — music
  16. clip — for paper
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bound — certain
  23. clip — to cut
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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