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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: mug · prune · degree · plane · stick · mine · rest · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mug — a cup
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mug — a face
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. plane — a tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. degree — temperature
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. degree — from a university

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