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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. court — of a king
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ground — a position
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. court — of law
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. plane — a tool
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. deal — to handle
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. court — for sport

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