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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.

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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: plane · can · pound · prune · foot · bear · racket · straw

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. foot — a measure
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. prune — to trim
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. can — a tin
  23. straw — dry grass
  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