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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · prune · can · staff · rock · bowl · plane · ground

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. can — a tin
  4. field — a subject
  5. staff — employees
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — a tin
  9. ground — the earth
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ground — a position
  17. field — farmland
  18. prune — to trim
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. field — for sport
  21. staff — employees
  22. rock — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rock — to move gently

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