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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: lie · cue · pitcher · band · stick · firm · game · plane

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. cue — a hint
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. firm — a company
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. band — a ring
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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