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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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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: fork · plane · rush · spell · rock · bass · prune · toast

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. plane — a tool
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bass — the fish
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bass — low music
  10. toast — bread
  11. prune — to trim
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fork — in a road
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. spell — magic
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rock — music
  24. prune — the fruit

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