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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 · squash · face · cue · firm · mouse · fall · mate

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fall — to drop
  6. squash — the sport
  7. firm — steady
  8. face — to point toward
  9. firm — a company
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. face — to confront
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mate — to breed
  19. cue — a signal
  20. firm — decided
  21. face — part of the head
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cue — a hint
  24. squash — the vegetable

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