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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. face — to confront
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. cue — a signal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. can — to be able to
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. court — of law
  19. tube — a container
  20. face — to point toward
  21. plane — a tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. can — a tin
  24. face — part 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