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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — steady
  6. chest — of your body
  7. cue — a signal
  8. firm — a company
  9. fine — all right
  10. cue — a hint
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — a tool
  13. court — of a king
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chest — a box
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. court — of law

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