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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · cell · cue · scale · root · mug · saw · board

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. board — a committee
  3. cell — a phone
  4. mug — to rob
  5. saw — the tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. board — to get on
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mug — a face
  11. land — ground
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. root — the cause
  16. scale — size or range
  17. land — a country
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. scale — in music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. land — to come down

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