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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.

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 · squash · wax · hide · lie · firm · prune · content

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. firm — a company
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lie — to recline
  7. plane — a tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — steady
  11. prune — to trim
  12. content — the amount
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. squash — the sport
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — decided
  24. hide — to keep secret

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