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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fork — in a road
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — a company
  12. court — of law
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. court — of a king
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bat — the animal
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — steady
  24. fork — a garden tool

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