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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.

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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: cue · row · prune · spring · lie · plane · stand · calf

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. row — to paddle
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cue — for pool
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spring — the season
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. row — a line
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lie — to recline
  21. plane — a tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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