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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cue — for pool
  6. club — a group
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a signal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. plane — a tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — for golf
  24. tube — a container

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