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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. club — for golf
  5. cue — a hint
  6. prune — to trim
  7. drill — the tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fork — in a road
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cue — for pool
  15. club — a group
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cue — a signal
  18. prune — to trim

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