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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: bore · fine · arm · cue · hand · plane · current · file

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fine — all right
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. file — a document
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. plane — a tool
  24. file — a tool

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