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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 120 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: prune · plane · shower · fan · lie · sharp · fine · bore

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. sharp — clever
  6. shower — to wash
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — rain
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fine — all right
  24. sharp — exactly

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