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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: leaves · kick · bay · pop · plane · present · ruler · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. present — a gift
  7. pop — to visit
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — there
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pop — music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — in football
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pop — soda

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