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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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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: chair · cue · racket · date · plane · ball · rock · perch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cue — a signal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chair — a leader
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cue — a hint
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. rock — music
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cue — for pool

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