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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.

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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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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: shower · coach · cue · plane · scale · pound · nail · pop

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pop — soda
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pop — to visit
  14. scale — in music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. shower — rain
  17. cue — a signal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — to wash
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pound — a weight

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