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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: fall · tube · leaves · cold · season · cue · jam · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. fall — to drop
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. fall — to drop
  10. season — in sport
  11. tube — a container
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cue — for pool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cold — an illness
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. season — of the year
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fall — the season
  21. tube — the underground
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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