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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: row · content · patient · can · lie · rule · prune · plane

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — a law
  4. lie — to recline
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. row — a line
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. content — the amount
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — to be able to
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. content — happy
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — a tool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. row — a quarrel

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