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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: bear · swing · date · dip · prune · plane · staff · object

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. swing — in golf
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. swing — to play on
  9. prune — to trim
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. object — an aim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. dip — to sink
  19. object — to protest
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. swing — music
  24. object — a thing

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