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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · bound · present · stick · date · rush · court · mug

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. present — the time now
  4. court — for sport
  5. present — a gift
  6. mug — a face
  7. bound — certain
  8. mug — a cup
  9. present — there
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rush — hurry
  20. court — of law
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. court — of a king
  24. date — the fruit

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