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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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Word bank
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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: drill · scale · cue · sharp · plane · object

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cue — a hint
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. object — a thing
  6. plane — a tool
  7. object — to protest
  8. sharp — clever
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. drill — the tool
  11. scale — in music
  12. object — an aim
  13. cue — for pool
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cue — a signal

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