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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: bore · cabinet · plane · march · prune · deal · arm · current

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. current — electric
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. current — of water
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. march — the month
  13. current — happening now
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bore — to drill
  17. march — music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. prune — to trim
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. march — the month
  24. prune — to trim

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