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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
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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: plane · bound · prune · toast · fan · net · degree · mouse

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bound — certain
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. net — after costs
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. plane — a tool
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — bread
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. net — in sport
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bound — obliged
  24. fan — a supporter

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