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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — a contest
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. race — the arms race
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. current — of water
  12. club — for dancing
  13. current — electric
  14. club — for golf
  15. fine — all right
  16. court — of a king
  17. current — happening now
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fine — high quality
  22. race — humankind
  23. court — for sport
  24. club — a group

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