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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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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: prune · court · foot · stock · plane · lean · current · stick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. prune — to trim
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. stock — goods
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stock — shares
  13. lean — thin
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — to bend
  17. court — of a king
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. court — for sport
  20. prune — to trim
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. court — of law
  23. current — happening now
  24. plane — an aircraft

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