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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: plane · prune · bore · wake · sharp · pitch · arm · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bore — to drill
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. swing — music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bore — to tire
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wake — a trail
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. arm — part of the body

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