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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
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: last · hand · plane · cue · ball · row · stem · stick

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. last — to go on
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. row — to paddle
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a great time
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — a signal
  20. row — a line
  21. hand — in cards
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. last — finally
  24. last — final

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