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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: roll · mug · plane · tube · prune · sharp · bulb · key

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — a tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. tube — the underground
  14. prune — to trim
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. roll — a cake
  22. key — for a lock
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. tube — a container

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