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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · pitcher · wax · plane · pound · can · prune · bear

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. can — a tin
  4. present — a gift
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. present — there
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — a weight
  12. plane — a tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. present — the time now
  24. prune — to trim

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