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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: ruler · plane · cue · spell · pit · row · cap · mark

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spell — magic
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spell — letters
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cap — a hat
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — for pool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pit — a hole
  22. row — to paddle
  23. plane — a tool
  24. row — a line

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