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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — of law
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cue — for pool
  6. drill — the tool
  7. plane — a tool
  8. court — of a king
  9. cue — a hint
  10. march — the month
  11. swing — in golf
  12. drill — army training
  13. swing — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. march — music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. court — for sport
  21. march — the month
  22. drill — a practice
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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