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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. capital — money
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. capital — a city
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. cue — a signal
  8. court — of a king
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fine — high quality
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. court — of law
  16. plane — a tool
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. court — for sport
  22. craft — boats
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fine — all right

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