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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. court — for sport
  5. key — the most important part
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. cue — a signal
  9. net — after costs
  10. spell — letters
  11. plane — a tool
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. cue — for pool
  20. court — of a king
  21. key — for a lock
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. key — in music
  24. cue — a hint

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