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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. court — of law
  3. club — for golf
  4. court — of a king
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cue — for pool
  10. club — a group
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. toast — bread
  13. cue — a signal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a hint
  22. club — for dancing
  23. court — for sport
  24. bank — for money

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