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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · file · board · bear · bulb · prune · plane · stick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a line of people
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. spell — magic
  9. board — to get on
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. file — a tool
  12. prune — to trim
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spell — letters
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. file — a document
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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