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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: land · plane · prune · can · date · rest · bulb · cabinet

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. land — a country
  3. rest — a break
  4. bulb — for light
  5. date — the fruit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. can — to be able to
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. can — a tin
  20. rest — what's left
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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