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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 120 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: sharp · arm · cue · plane · lean · spell · rock · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lean — thin
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. spell — letters
  9. rock — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spell — a short time
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. plane — a tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spell — magic
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lean — to bend
  24. sharp — with an edge

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