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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 · row · cue · roll · spring · cabinet · pound · bulb

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. roll — a cake
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. roll — a list
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. spring — the season
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cue — a hint
  13. row — a line
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. row — to paddle
  19. spring — of water
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. cue — a signal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bulb — for light

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