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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: mine · tube · perch · plane · spring · craft · cue · board

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. board — to get on
  9. craft — a skill
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. board — a committee
  13. spring — of water
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. cue — for pool
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mine — for digging
  24. board — a flat piece

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