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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: cue · roll · rock · pass · stick · mine · ruler · plane

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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