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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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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: plane · fork · bulb · wind · prune · file · bound · ruler

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. file — a tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bound — certain
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bulb — for light
  22. file — a document
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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