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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: hide · key · prune · tube · plane · court · lie · stand

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tube — the underground
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. tube — a container
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. key — for a lock
  13. plane — a tool
  14. court — of law
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. court — of a king
  19. stand — to bear
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — in music
  22. lie — to recline
  23. court — for sport
  24. lie — an untruth

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