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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: can · foot · plane · stick · mine · land · prune · lie

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. land — to come down
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mine — for digging
  14. lie — to recline
  15. prune — to trim
  16. land — a country
  17. can — to be able to
  18. land — ground
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — a measure
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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