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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fall · pass · stem · bore · last · prune · bass · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. last — to go on
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. last — finally
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. last — final
  24. prune — to trim

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