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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
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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: plane · squash · cue · trunk · hide · roll · rash · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rash — a series
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. squash — to crush
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rash — hasty
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cue — for pool
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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