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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 · rock · lie · foot · rest · suit · mine · cue

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. mine — for digging
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. foot — a measure
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lie — to recline
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — to fit

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