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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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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cue — for pool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. spell — letters
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cold — an illness
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — magic
  24. cold — the Cold War

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