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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 116 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
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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: bark · lean · content · pass · plane · cue · deal · mine

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. content — the amount
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. content — happy
  9. bark — to shout
  10. deal — to handle
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lean — thin
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lean — to bend

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