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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: bound · row · cue · band · mark · plane · spring · rush

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. band — a music group
  3. rush — hurry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. row — a line
  6. band — a ring
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. spring — the season
  13. bound — certain
  14. spring — of water
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rush — to hurry

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