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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. court — of law
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bat — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. court — for sport
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. swing — in golf
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — to bear
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. court — of a king
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — music
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. racket — for tennis

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