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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 116 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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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: pound · deal · cue · fall · plane · mate · suit · straw

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mate — a friend
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — to breed
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fall — the season
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mate — a partner
  18. deal — to handle
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fall — to drop
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — a straw man

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