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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cue — a hint
  10. row — a line
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. squash — to crush
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. plane — a tool
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rush — hurry

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