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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
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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: rush · prune · date · season · craft · object · plane · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. date — the fruit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. craft — a skill
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. object — an aim
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. craft — boats
  17. object — a thing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. season — in sport
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. object — to protest
  22. rule — a law
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — of the year

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