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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · wake · stick · firm · saw · plane · date · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. court — of law
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. court — of a king
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. firm — a company
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. court — for sport
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wake — a trail
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mug — to rob
  18. saw — the tool
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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