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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: leaves · sharp · plane · bulb · roll · rush · trunk · prune

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — a list
  6. bulb — for light
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. prune — to trim
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — hurry
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — to go away

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