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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.

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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: rock · lie · cue · band · staff · plane · charge · saw

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. band — a music group
  3. cue — for pool
  4. band — a ring
  5. charge — a price
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cue — a signal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rock — a stone

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