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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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. band — a music group
  3. cue — for pool
  4. staff — a stick
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fall — the season
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. staff — employees
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. band — a ring
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pound — a weight
  21. plane — a tool
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. cue — a hint

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