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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
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: leaves · stand · pop · rest · prune · plane · hide · nail

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stand — to bear
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pop — soda
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rest — a break
  17. pop — music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. leaves — lets stay

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