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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 116 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: prune · bowl · ball · pop · object · race · plane · root

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pop — soda
  4. object — an aim
  5. ball — a great time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — of a word
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ball — a dance
  13. object — to protest
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. object — a thing
  17. root — the cause
  18. pop — to visit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. race — a contest
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pop — music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. plane — a tool

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