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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: rash · present · court · mark · racket · bound · mouse · plane

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. court — for sport
  5. plane — a tool
  6. court — of law
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rash — a series
  9. court — of a king
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bound — certain
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bound — tied together
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mark — a trace
  24. present — there

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