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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: prune · row · last · perch · spring · plane · suit · fan

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. row — to paddle
  5. perch — the fish
  6. last — final
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. row — a line
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. prune — to trim
  13. last — finally
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. last — to go on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. row — a quarrel

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