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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: plane · firm · cue · foot · bay · rock · net · sharp

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cue — a signal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. firm — a company
  11. net — for catching
  12. firm — steady
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. net — in sport
  15. cue — for pool
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — a stone
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. net — after costs
  21. cue — a hint
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rock — music
  24. firm — decided

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