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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.

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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 · pass · dip · game · capital · kick · prune · rest

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kick — in football
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. game — a match
  20. pass — a permit
  21. capital — a city
  22. game — wild animals
  23. dip — to sink
  24. prune — the fruit

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