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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.

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: chair · pitcher · cue · club · fork · fine · plane · lean

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fine — all right
  4. lean — to bend
  5. club — a group
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. club — for golf
  24. cue — a signal

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