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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: craft · plane · stand · prune · can · toast · sharp · straw

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. toast — bread
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. can — a tin
  8. sharp — clever
  9. craft — a skill
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. prune — to trim
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stand — to bear
  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