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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: pass · mouse · plane · bore · perch · kid · stock · cue

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. cue — for pool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — shares
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pass — a permit
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kid — child
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stock — goods
  24. perch — for a bird

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