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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: prune · cabinet · bass · bound · saw · pound · fall · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bass — low music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bass — the fish
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. bound — tied together

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