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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: plane · present · squash · bore · prune · stick · cue · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. present — the time now
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bore — to tire
  18. present — there
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. present — a gift

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