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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cue — a signal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. clip — a video
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — for pool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. clip — for paper
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. clip — to cut
  21. foot — a measure
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. foot — part of the body

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