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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. pound — a weight
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — for money
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spring — the season
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bank — of a river
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rush — hurry

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