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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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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: arm · fall · prune · hide · mouse · present · mate · plane

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mate — a friend
  4. plane — a tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fall — the season
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — to trim
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mate — a partner
  24. prune — to trim

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