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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: roll · saw · cue · plane · object · mine · tube · perch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. object — an aim
  6. saw — the tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — a tool
  9. roll — a list
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tube — a container
  12. roll — a cake
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. object — to protest
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. object — a thing
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  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