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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. object — to protest
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bank — for money
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bank — of a river
  10. shower — rain
  11. bank — for money
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. object — a thing
  15. kick — in football
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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