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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: rash · march · mug · pop · cue · mouse · plane · cell

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rash — hasty
  9. cell — a phone
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. march — the month
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. pop — music
  15. rash — a series
  16. march — the month
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pop — soda
  23. cue — a signal
  24. march — music

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