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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 120 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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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: leaves · dip · shower · plane · cue · straw · season · mark

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cue — for pool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. shower — to wash
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. dip — to sink
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mark — a trace
  16. shower — rain
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. season — in sport
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — a tool
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. leaves — lets stay

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