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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 116 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
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: wake · plane · ground · mouse · drill · cue · craft · patient

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ground — a position
  5. drill — a practice
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — a skill
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. drill — army training
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ground — the earth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a hint
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. craft — boats
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wake — a trail
  23. plane — a tool
  24. ground — crushed

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