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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 · bound · lean · plane · straw · file · sharp · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. suit — in cards
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. file — a document
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. plane — a tool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bound — obliged
  13. file — a line of people
  14. suit — to fit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lean — thin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bound — certain
  22. lean — to bend
  23. file — a tool
  24. straw — dry grass

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