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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 · sharp · race · deal · prune · wave · calf · mark

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mark — a trace
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. race — the arms race
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. prune — to trim
  14. race — a contest
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. race — humankind
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mark — a grade

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