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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — a trace
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cue — for pool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cue — a signal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. field — a subject
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — a trail
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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