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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · pass · cue · chest · swing · ruler

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chest — of your body
  13. swing — music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chest — a box
  18. plane — in geometry

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