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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: cue · track · land · plane · hide · stick · band · bore

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bore — to drill
  3. track — a song
  4. cue — a signal
  5. land — to come down
  6. band — a music group
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a hint
  13. band — a ring
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cue — for pool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — to tire
  23. track — a path
  24. band — a rubber band

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