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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pop — to visit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. prune — to trim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mug — a face
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pop — music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pass — a permit
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pop — soda
  20. net — after costs
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. sharp — exactly

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