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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: cue · dip · ruler · bowl · cell · plane

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. dip — to sink
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cell — in biology

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