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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: prune · plane · mouse · trunk · object · fan · shower · racket

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. shower — rain
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. object — an aim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — the animal

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