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

Word bank: pound · root · plane · cell · pitcher · rest · pass · prune

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cell — in biology
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — the cause
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rest — a break
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pitcher — a jug

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