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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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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: fine · arm · prune · kid · plane · lean · cell · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kid — child
  9. plane — a tool
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. kid — to tease
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fine — all right
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. lean — thin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fine — high quality
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lean — to bend

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