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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
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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: march · lie · plane · mine · date · mug · cue · foot

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. date — the fruit
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. march — music
  7. lie — to recline
  8. march — the month
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mug — a cup
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. march — the month
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cue — a hint
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cue — a signal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cue — for pool

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