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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
468
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: bark · rock · roll · cue · firm · plane · wax · arm

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — a tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. roll — a list
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — a stone
  17. firm — steady
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. firm — decided
  21. bark — to shout
  22. rock — music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bark — of a tree

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