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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.

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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: plane · wave · pitcher · ruler · saw · pop · cue · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pop — soda
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — a hint
  24. plane — in geometry

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