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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lie — to recline
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. land — to come down
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ball — a great time
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — ground
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. land — a country

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