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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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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: rest · dip · content · plane · hand · roll · prune · season

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — in sport
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. rest — a break
  9. season — of the year
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hand — in cards
  14. dip — to sink
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. content — the amount
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. dip — a sauce

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