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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
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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: net · kid · scale · key · cue · plane · fan · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. key — in music
  12. plane — a tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. kid — to tease
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. net — in sport
  17. cue — for pool
  18. net — after costs
  19. cue — a signal
  20. net — for catching
  21. rock — music
  22. kid — child
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. key — for a lock

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