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

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. court — for sport
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cue — a hint
  14. court — of law
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. plane — a tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. court — of a king
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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