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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: rush · court · prune · plane · hide · rock · ground · suit

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. court — of a king
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rock — a stone
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — to fit
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ground — crushed
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. court — of law
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rock — music
  24. rush — hurry

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