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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 120 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: stem · prune · can · charge · key · plane · fine · ground

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. key — for a lock
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ground — crushed
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. ground — a position
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — in control
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. charge — a price
  15. key — in music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. charge — electricity
  21. key — the most important part
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — to be able to

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