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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: plane · hide · press · fall · pound · rush · fine · prune

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fall — the season
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fine — all right
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rush — hurry
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. press — newspapers
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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