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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.

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: cue · plane · firm · prune · cabinet · perch · charge · bat

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — in control
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cue — a hint
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — for pool
  18. firm — a company
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. perch — for a bird

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