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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: mug · plane · prune · present · foot · file · pitcher · lean

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. present — a gift
  4. mug — to rob
  5. lean — thin
  6. present — there
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. plane — a tool
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. present — the time now
  14. file — a document
  15. lean — to bend
  16. prune — to trim
  17. file — a line of people
  18. prune — to trim
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mug — a face
  21. file — a tool
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. foot — a measure

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