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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cue — a signal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cue — for pool
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. band — a music group
  12. prune — to trim
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. kick — in football
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. band — a ring
  24. wake — a trail

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