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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 · prune · cap · plane · deal · ruler · current · pit

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cap — a hat
  3. deal — to handle
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — a lid
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — a tool
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pit — a hole
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. current — electric
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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