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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: mine · suit · cue · pound · spell · plane · saw · perch

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cue — for pool
  7. spell — letters
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. spell — magic
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mine — for digging
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — a short time

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