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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · coach · lie · kick · game · prune · pass · object

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. prune — to trim
  3. object — a thing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. plane — a tool
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — wild animals
  10. kick — in football
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. object — an aim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. object — to protest
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lie — to recline
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. prune — to trim

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