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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: pitcher · rock · cue · plane · root · scale · mouse · stand

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rock — music
  7. stand — to bear
  8. scale — in music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. plane — a tool
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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