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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: wind · cue · racket · present · scale · field · plane · rush

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cue — for pool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. field — a subject
  11. present — the time now
  12. plane — a tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. field — for sport
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rush — hurry
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. field — farmland
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. scale — size or range
  24. plane — an aircraft

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