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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rest — a break
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. court — for sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. court — of law
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — help
  22. kick — in football
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rest — what's left

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