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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 · coach · firm · squash · mug · ruler · kid · mouse

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mug — a face
  3. squash — the sport
  4. kid — to tease
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. firm — steady
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kid — child
  12. plane — a tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. squash — to crush
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — the vegetable

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