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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 120 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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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: perch · plane · prune · bank · root · snap · pound · chair

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. root — the cause
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bank — for money
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. root — of a word
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chair — a leader
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to click
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bank — of a river
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bank — for money

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