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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: bear · bass · cue · stick · mark · craft · plane · mate

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bass — the fish
  14. craft — boats
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — a grade
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mate — a friend

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