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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · saw · plane · leaves · straw · cue · bear · land

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cue — a hint
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. key — for a lock
  17. plane — a tool
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. land — ground
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. cue — a signal
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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