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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. court — of law
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a grade
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mark — a trace
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. court — for sport
  18. bound — tied together
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pass — to succeed

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