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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: nail · plane · season · fine · prune · cap · bay · can

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. prune — to trim
  3. season — of the year
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. season — in sport
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cap — of ice
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. fine — high quality
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — a tin

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