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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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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: lean · mate · plane · prune · club · bank · wake · arm

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. club — for golf
  10. lean — thin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. club — a group
  13. bank — for money
  14. mate — a partner
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bank — for money
  19. wake — a trail
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mate — a friend
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. plane — in geometry

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