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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: season · leaves · plane · cue · club · fork · dip · arm

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. club — a group
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cue — for pool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. dip — to sink
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. arm — part of the body

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