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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
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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: fork · plane · jam · can · prune · rock · capital · foot

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. plane — a tool
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. capital — a city
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — to be able to
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. capital — money
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. can — a tin
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rock — a stone
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rock — music
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fork — in a road
  24. capital — a big letter

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