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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: cue · stand · plane · bark · saw · squash · foot · temple

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. cue — for pool
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cue — a signal
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cue — a hint
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — a tool
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. saw — the tool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stand — to bear

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