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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. plane — a tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. land — ground
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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