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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.

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: bound · saw · kick · plane · cue · spring · spell · press

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cue — a signal
  3. kick — in football
  4. saw — the tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. press — to push
  8. bound — certain
  9. cue — for pool
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spell — letters
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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