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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. court — for sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. court — of a king
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. court — of law
  12. deal — to handle
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mark — a trace
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mark — a grade
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. temple — side of the head

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