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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: perch · cue · root · date · nail · degree · plane · hide

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cue — a signal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. date — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. plane — a tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. root — the cause
  12. cue — a hint
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — for pool
  21. degree — from a university
  22. root — of a word
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. perch — the fish

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