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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.

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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cue — a signal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. club — for golf
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bore — to tire
  8. craft — boats
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. club — a group
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. band — a ring
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. craft — a skill
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. club — for dancing
  24. stem — of a plant

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