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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: sharp · cabinet · plane · ruler · can · pound · prune · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — clever
  24. ruler — a monarch

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