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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: press · rush · rule · roll · plane · rest · date · prune

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — a cake
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. roll — a list
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rule — a law
  14. prune — to trim
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rule — government
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. press — to push
  22. rest — a break
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. roll — on a roll

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