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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: fork · stand · press · perch · plane · rock · rule · prune

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rule — a law
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. fork — in a road
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. prune — to trim
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — music
  19. stand — to bear
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rock — a stone
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. plane — a tool

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