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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.

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: plane · pop · jam · prune · mate · field · spell · bass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. field — for sport
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. spell — magic
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. prune — to trim
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bass — low music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pop — music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. field — farmland
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. field — a subject
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pop — soda
  23. spell — letters
  24. plane — an aircraft

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