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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. court — of a king
  6. cue — a hint
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pop — to visit
  13. court — for sport
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. court — of law
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fine — all right
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pop — soda
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cue — a signal

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