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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · plane · mouse · rash · firm · game · cue · present

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. present — the time now
  3. rash — a series
  4. cue — a signal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. game — a match
  14. firm — steady
  15. game — wild animals
  16. present — a gift
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — there
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rash — hasty
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mouse — the animal

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