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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: plane · court · prune · rule · charge · row · wake · hide

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. court — of law
  3. row — to paddle
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rule — government
  7. prune — to trim
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. court — of a king
  19. row — a line
  20. rule — a law
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. charge — in control
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — for sport

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