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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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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: bear · present · ruler · fork · kick · foot · plane · prune

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. kick — in football
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. present — a gift
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — there
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. present — the time now

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